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Martial, who was still upon the top of the wood, stooped and kissed his four brethren, who were already bound and fastened to the stake. He said to each of them, ‘Adieu, adieu, my brother.' Then the other four, though tied, kissed one another also, turning their necks, and saying one to another the same words, Adieu, my brother.' This done, and after Martial had commended his brethren to God, he wished, before descending to be fastened to the stake, to kiss the executioner also, saying to him these words, My friend, forget not what I have said to thee.' The executioner, when he had tied all the five, surrounded them with a chain, which was fastened to the stake. Then the executioner being ordered to hasten, put around each of their necks a cord to strangle all the five at once, by means of a machine which he had ready for the purpose but the fire having burnt the cord, they were heard in the midst of the flames exhorting one another with the words, Courage, brothers, courage! These were the last words which were heard. Soon had the flames consumed their mortal bodies."

This may be called the first period of persecution. It preceded the organization of the Protestant Church. After that event, in 1559, matters became much worse. In the twelve short years which stretched to 1571, the martyrologist speaks of not less than forty towns or cities in France, where persecution prevailed, and of one hundred, five hundred, twelve hundred persons being involved in suffering for Christ at a time. Troops were brought against them, who inflicted unspeakable atrocities; but the hatred which was manifested to the Scriptures and good books, the stuffing of the leaves of the Bible into the mouths and wounds of the dying sufferers, the jeers and blasphemies which were addressed to them for calling upon God, and the nature of the insult offered to their mortal remains, all plainly declared that the cause was not political, as Papists alleged, but religious, and that determined hostility to the glorious Gospel of the Saviour was at the root of the whole. It is true that, in this period, the Protestants were led to take up arms, and to appear against their oppressors in the field of battle; and that a gift of one hundred thousand crowns was made, and a permission to enlist soldiers among the Protestants of foreign lands, granted. But they were driven to these steps by dire necessity. Selfdefence called for them, and but for its urgency, they would never have been resorted to. Let us, however, return more particularly to the Protestant Church now organized.

The General Assembly of the French Church consisted only of eleven ministers, that of Scotland of twelve. The French ministers met in secret, and proceeded forthwith to draw up a confession of their faith. This was particularly called for, owing to the misrepresentations of their real sentiments and views current among their enemies. It is understood that the great Calvin bore a part in the preparation of this most interesting and admirable document. And two things are worthy of notice; first, that it was solely the work of the Church-not the work of the State forced upon the Church; and secondly, that without any concert with other Protestant Churches, it remarkably harmonizes with the confessions of all, showing that, under the teaching of God's Spirit, no good men, wherever they may be scattered, and whatever their circumstances of trial, seriously differ in their interpretation of Scripture. It is a state of ease, and a season of speculation, which lead men to doubt and disagree as to what is truth. Persecution drives to first principles, and when the heart is right, it keeps the head clear and sound.

The reader will peruse with pleasure the following articles of the Confession of Faith which embrace the doctrinal part:

"ARTICLE I.-We believe and confess, that there is but one God only, whose being only is simple, spiritual, eternal, invisible, immutable, infinite, incomprehensible, ineffable, who can do all things, who is all-wise, all-good, most just, and most merciful.

"ART. II.-This one God hath revealed himself to be such a one unto man, first, in the creation, preservation, and governing of his works; secondly, far more plainly in his word, which, from the beginning, he revealed to the fathers by certain visions and oracles, and then caused it to be put in writing in those books which we call the holy Scripture.

“ART. III.—All this holy Scripture is contained in the canonical books of the Old and New Testament, the catalogue whereof followeth:-The five books of Moses, viz. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Item, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, the first and second book of Samuel, the first and second book of Kings, the first and second book of Chronicles, otherwise called the Paralipomena, one book of Esdras, or Ezra, Nehemiah, Hester, Job, the Psalms, Solomon's Proverbs or Sentences, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Songs, Esaiah, Jeremiah, with the Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonas,

Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi. Item, The holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, according to St. Mark, according to St. Luke, and according to St. John, as also the second book of St. Luke, otherwise called the Acts of the Apostles. Item, The Epistles of St. Paul, the apostle, to the Romans one, to the Corinthians two, to the Galatians one, to the Ephesians one, to the Philippians one, to the Colossians one, to the Thessalonians two, to Timothy two, to Titus one, to Philemon one. Item, 'The Epistle to the Hebrews, the Epistle of St. James, the first and second Epistle of St. Peter, the first, second and third Epistle of St. John, the Epistle of St. Jude, and the Apocalypse or Revelations of St. John.

"ART. IV. We acknowledge these books to be canonical, that is, we account them as the most certain rule of our faith, and that not so much because of the common consent of the Church, but because of the testimony and persuasion of the Holy Ghost, by which we are taught to distinguish betwixt them and other ecclesiastical books, upon which, although they may be useful, yet we cannot ground any article of faith.

"ART. V.-We believe that the doctrine contained in these books has proceeded from God, from whom only, and not from men, it deriveth its authority. And forasmuch as it is the rule of all truth, containing all matters necessarily required for the worship of God, and our salvation, it is in no wise lawful for men nor angels to add unto, or to take from this doctrine, or to change it. And hereupon it followeth, that it is not lawful to oppose either antiquity, or custom, or multitude, or human wisdom, judgments, edicts, or any decrees, or councils, or visions, or miracles unto this holy Scripture; but rather, that all things ought to be examined and tried by the rule and square thereof. Wherefore we do for this cause also allow of those three creeds, viz. the Apostles', the Nicene, and Athanasius his creed, because they be agreeable to the word of God.

"ART. VI.—The holy Scripture teacheth us, that in that one and simple divine Being there be three Persons subsisting-the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The Father, to wit, the First Cause in order, and the Beginning of all things; the Son, his Wisdom and Everlasting Word; the Holy Ghost, his Virtue, Power and Efficacy. The Son begotten of the Father from everlasting, the Holy Ghost from everlasting, proceeding from the Father and the Son. These

three Persons are not confounded, but distinct, and yet not divided, but of one and the same essence, eternity, power, and equality. And to conclude in this mystery, we allow of that which those four ancient councils have determined; and we detest all sects and heresies condemned by those holy ancient doctors, St. Athanasius, St. Hilary, St. Cyril, and St. Ambrose.

"ART. VII.-We believe that God, in three Persons, working together by his power, wisdom, and incomprehensible goodness, hath made all things, not only heaven and earth, and all things in them contained, but also the invisible spirits, of which some fell headlong into destruction, and some continued in obedience. That the fallen angels, being corrupted by their malice, are become enemies of all good, and consequently of the whole Church. That the holy angels, having persevered by the grace of God, are ministers to glorify his name, and serve his elect in order to salvation.

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ART. VIII. We believe that God hath not only made all things, but also ruleth and governeth them, as he who, according to his will, disposeth and ordaineth whatsoever cometh to pass in the world. Yet, we deny that he is the author of sin, or that the blame of things done amiss can be laid upon him, seeing his will is the sovereign and infallible rule of all righteousness and equity; but this we confess, that he hath those admirable means, as whereby he maketh the devils and the ungodly, as his instruments, to serve him, and to turn the evil which they do, and whereof they are guilty, into good. So that when we acknowledge that nothing can be done without the providence of God, we do most humbly adore his secrets, which he hath hidden from us, nor do we inquire into those which are above our reach and capacity. Nay, rather we apply unto our own use that which the holy Scripture teacheth us for our peace and comfort; to wit, that God, to whom all things are subject, doth watch over us with a fatherly care, so that not so much as an hair of our head falleth to the ground without his will; and that he hath the devils and all our adversaries fast bound in chains, that they cannot, without leave first given them, do us any harm.

"ART. IX.-We believe that man, being created pure and upright, and conformable to the image of God, through his own fault fell from that grace which he had received, and thereby did so estrange himself from God, the fountain of all righteousness and of all good things, that his nature is

become altogether defiled; and being blind in his understanding, and corrupt in his heart, he hath utterly lost that integrity; and although he can somewhat discern between good and evil, yet we do affirm, that whatsoever light he hath, it straightway becometh darkness, when the question is of asking after God, so that by his understanding and reason he can never come to God. And although he be indued with will, whereby he is moved to do this or that, yet forasmuch as that also is in bondage to sin, that he hath no freedom to desire that which is good, but if he have any it is the gracious gift of God.

"ART. X.-We believe that all the offspring of Adam are infected with the contagion of original sin, which is a vice hereditary to us by propagation, and not only by imitation, as the Pelagians asserted, whose errors are detested by us. Nor do we think it necessary to inquire how this sin cometh to be derived from one unto another; for it is, sufficient that those things which God gave to Adam were not given to him alone, but also to all his posterity; and, therefore, we, in his person, being deprived of all those good gifts, are fallen into this poverty and malediction.

"ART. XI.-We believe that this stain of original sin is sin indeed, for it hath that mischievous power in it as to condemn all mankind, even infants that are unborn, as yet in their mother's womb, and God himself doth account it such; yea, and that after baptism, as to the filth thereof, it is always sin. Howbeit, they who are the children of God shall never be condemned for it, because that God, of his rich grace and sovereign mercy, doth not impute it to them. Moreover, we say, that it is such a depravedness as doth continually produce the fruits of malice and rebellion against God, so that even the choicest of God's saints, although they do resist it, yet are they defiled with very many infirmities and offences, so long as they live in this world.

"ART. XII.-We believe that out of this general corruption and condemnation, in which all men are plunged, God doth deliver them whom he hath, in his eternal and unchangeable counsel, chosen of his mere goodness and mercy through our Lord Jesus Christ, without any consideration of their works, leaving the rest in their sins and damnable estate, that he may show forth in them his justice, as in the elect he doth most illustriously declare the riches of his mercy. For one is not better than another, until such time as God doth make the difference, according to his unchangeable purpose,